


Replacement

by Im_The_Doctor (Bofur1)



Category: Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: Banter, Being Lost, Boats and Ships, Bonding, Canonical Continuity Fusion, Could Be Canon, Covert Operation, Enthusiasm, Fanboys - Freeform, First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, Geniuses, Helpful Raf, Kids Being Awesome, Partner Swapping, Rants, Realization, Semi-Canonical Character, Stress Relief, Summer, Summer Exchange Program, Surprise Ending, Surprises, Team Dynamics, What-If, Whining, complaining, emergencies, interruptions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 14:53:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4353146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Im_The_Doctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Bots are aghast when they discover that Cody has been enlisted in a summer exchange program. How will they be able to relax while hosting an out-of-state stranger in their firehouse?! Once the boy arrives, Heatwave makes a split-second decision that all bets are off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Replacement

“So…who’s the little kid who’s replacing Cody?” Kade grumbled, causing all of the Rescue Bots to perk up and/or lean in to pay more attention.

“No one is ‘replacing’ Cody,” Chief sighed, crossing his arms. “But since Cody’s getting older, I thought it would be a good experience for him to get off the island for a while.”

“If he wanted to get off the island, couldn’t he take a boat, go someplace that isn’t so far?” Dani protested.

“Wayward Island? I could fly him,” Blades piped up.

“You know it’s not the same thing,” Chief Burns refuted the idea sternly.

Heatwave, increasingly frustrated with the conversation, threw up his hands and demanded, “Would _someone_ care to explain what all this ‘replacement’ talk is about?!”

Chief sighed deeply, frowning at Dani and Kade before looking up at the Rescue Bot leader. “We’ve enlisted Cody in a between-states summer exchange program, which basically works like this: a student, namely Cody, goes to a different school somewhere else, while a student from that school comes here to take his place. They can each learn things they couldn’t learn in their hometown schools! It’s a great opportunity!”

“I fail to see why this is construed as Cody being replaced,” Chase commented.

“Because the thing is, Chase, we have to host the random kid when he gets here!” Kade burst out. That brought Heatwave to his feet, staring wildly around as though the stranger had already appeared.

“So we’ll have to act like mindless, sparkless machines _here_ at the _firehouse?!_ We’ll never be able to take a breath!”

“Not that we, as Cybertronians, need to breathe,” Chase pointed out.

“Now, see, that’s the good news,” Chief began.

“How is that good news?!” Blades wailed. “I’m going to miss the reruns of _Planet in the Crab Nebula!_  And the sequels!” This only earned him a collective blank look and he crossed his arms, pouting. “They’re supposed to be back to back and I’ve been waiting all month!”

“Would you all just listen to me please?” Chief pleaded. “Blades, you’ll get to watch your movies—though I don’t see the appeal—and the rest of you Bots can just relax.”

“Why?” Boulder spoke for the first time, quite puzzled. “Does this human who’s coming to visit think aliens exist?”

“You could say that. The boy who’s coming is from Jasper, Nevada,” Chief proclaimed, smiling a little. “And that’s where Optimus Prime and his team are stationed.”

—

Goodbyes with Cody had been difficult, but the change was just for the summer and the Bots would have been lying if they said they weren’t _at_ _all_ excited to be meeting another human who knew of their existence.

No one else was around when they approached the dock, but Blades still spoke in a whisper. “I wonder what he’s going to be like! Do you think he’ll like us?”

“If not, he’ll have to get over it,” Heatwave muttered. “We’re his only home for the summer.” He paused for a moment before adding, “Although, he can’t be all bad if Optimus and his team keep him around.”

The ferry soon landed and a crowd of people swarmed onto the dock, though most of them were workers unloading cargo. Only one passenger stood out: a short boy in baggy jeans and a collar shirt, with an orange sweater over that. Heaving his bags along behind him, he glanced around, looking somewhat lost.

“That’s him?” Kade exclaimed. “Look at those glasses! The hair! He looks like a total geek!”

On the screen next to the steering wheel, Heatwave cleared his throat and nodded toward Graham, who was glaring from inside Boulder.

After a glance at the photo he’d been given, Chief Burns emerged from Chase, approaching the boy, who looked up at him and smiled expectantly. As soon as he saw the vehicles, he grinned even wider and quickened his pace, scrambling into Chase’s passenger seat.

“Hi,” he greeted, laying a hand on Chase’s dashboard. When he didn’t receive any response, he glanced at Chief Burns.

“Not out here in the open,” Chief explained. The boy nodded knowingly and leaned back in his seat, waving eagerly out the window at the others.

Once they were safely inside the firehouse, the Bots transformed, eyeing the newcomer with just a touch of wariness.

“Uhh…welcome,” Heatwave said finally. “We’re the Rescue Bots Sigma-17 Task Force. I’m Heatwave and this is my team—”

“Chase, Boulder, and Blades,” the boy interrupted, startling them. “I know. Bumblebee told me about you!”

“You _know_ Bumblebee?” Blades gasped.

“Blades, we already knew that,” Heatwave reminded him in a hiss, somewhat grumpy about being interrupted.

“But you can _understand_ Bumblebee?” Blades pressed, shuffling slightly closer with huge optics.

“Heh, yeah. I’m Raf. Bumblebee’s my best friend,” the human declared warmly.

“Mine too!” Blades squealed. Just like that, Heatwave knew that all bets of relaxation were off.

—

Despite the fact that he knew what the Burns family did for a living, Raf jumped the first time the emergency call lights went off. “You guys have to go?” he asked hesitantly, getting to his feet as the Bots did.

“Yeah, but I want to continue this conversation later,” Heatwave warned. “Anything you can tell me about what Megatron’s been up to and where he’s headed next could be helpful someday.”

“I don’t think the Cons followed me here,” Raf reassured them.

“But that emergency could be them right now!” Blades fretted, now seeming far less enthusiastic to take the elevator to the roof.

“Then we’ll show them what we’re made of!” Boulder called. This seemed to give Heatwave a surge of bravado as he transformed and released the familiar call:

“Rescue Bots! Roll to the rescue!”

What they found was an army—not of Decepticons, but of flurrying traffic lights, zipping high overhead where they couldn’t quite reach them. Blades did his best to knock them down, but he was finding himself overwhelmed.

“And in front of Bumblebee’s other best friend too,” he mourned the fact that Raf was watching in the Command Center. It was then that Raf’s voice echoed over the comm.

“Um, Chief Burns, I think I could hack those street lights for you.” In the background, tapping keys could be heard and then Raf added, “I’ve seen Ratchet do it a million times!”

“That is a crime!” Chase burst out.

“He only does it when it’s safe,” Raf protested.

“Criminal activity is never completely safe!” the police Bot insisted. “Chief Burns, we cannot allow—”

“I’m sorry, Chase, but it’s looking like the only way to deactivate them without destroying them,” Chief sighed. “Go ahead, Raf.”

Almost immediately, the activity ceased and the traffic lights floated back down to safe heights.

“Okay, so…I’ll see you guys when you get back!” Raf called happily, hanging up the comm. link.

“I told you,” Kade proclaimed. “Geek.”

“That was actually…really cool,” Graham interrupted. “I can see why Team Prime thinks he’s useful!”

“He’ll have to teach me to do that!” Boulder agreed appreciatively.

Chase rarely used words, much less sound effects, to relay his emotions, but from the way his sirens suddenly blared to life, one could guess that he wasn’t exactly pleased about that idea.

—

Four days later, Heatwave finally found it in his spark to ask the question he’d had in the back of his throat since Raf’s arrival. “Do you think I could ever…join Team Prime?” he blurted, deciding not to fool around with words.

Raf blinked a few times. “You want to?”

“Yeah! And Optimus has occasionally hinted that I might be allowed to, but do you think I’m that sort of material? You can be honest,” Heatwave assured him.

After a long moment of contemplative silence, Raf nodded decisively. “Yeah, I think you could one day. But for now—”

“I know, I know. For now _my_ team needs me,” Heatwave cut in with a sigh. “But I just want a chance to follow the best team leader there is out there!”

“From what I’ve seen, that’s how this team looks at _you_ ,” Raf informed him, earning an expression of disbelief. “They may not always agree with you, they may have different skills than you, but they look up to you and want to make you proud. And…” Raf glanced around to make sure they were still alone before shrugging awkwardly. “I think they’re scared of what might happen without you.”

Heatwave hummed, feeling a tad concerned now that he was realizing that what Raf said could be true. “Maybe I should start making Chase train some more. He seems to do just fine leading when I go on away missions. Not that I get the chance very often…”

Before he could finish that thought, Chase himself burst in from outside, calling in a robotic tone, “I have captured a prowler on the premises! Awaiting further instruction!”

This of course caused Heatwave to snap himself into his own robotic mode and Raf bolted for the elevator to fetch Chief Burns. The adult peered into Chase’s backseat and then stepped back, ordering nervously, “Police Bot, stand down. I think you may have captured a tourist.”

The door opened and immediately a string of chatter wafted out to them. “…don’t know why you’re goin’ all Vehicon on me, but let me take a picture of you! I gotta send it to Bulk!”

Raf clapped both hands over his mouth, dark eyes popping wide. “Oh, you _didn’t_ …Not to a—”

“—whole other state!” Miko finished for him with a cheeky grin. “Sorry, Raf, but you shoulda known I wouldn’t pass up a chance to meet four new Bots! Hey, do you think you could take a picture of me with ’em?”


End file.
